Edwards: I am the father

January 22, 2010|By From news services

Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards finally admitted Thursday he fathered a child during an affair before his second White House bid, dropping long-standing denials just ahead of a book by a former campaign aide who initially took the fall.

Edwards released a statement admitting paternity of the girl, Frances Quinn Hunter, who was born in 2008 to videographer Rielle Hunter as the result of an affair Edwards has already confessed to.

"It was wrong for me to ever deny she was my daughter," Edwards said, adding he was providing financial support for the child and mother. "I am Quinn's father."

Elizabeth Edwards, who has been battling an incurable return of cancer since 2007, said in an interview with The Associated Press that "the whole family is relieved." She declined to discuss the couple's marital status and said she didn't know where things will go from here.

"If somebody has a crystal ball, they can let me know," she said when asked what was next for her and John Edwards.

The admission comes ahead of the Feb. 2 release of a book by former Edwards aide Andrew Young that is expected to describe how Edwards worked to hide his paternity with Young's help.

Young initially claimed he was the child's father shortly before the 2008 presidential primary contests began. Word that Young was naming Edwards as the father first came when details of his book proposal were reported by The New York Times in September. Edwards' lawyer at the time declined to comment.

The child was born Feb. 27, 2008, indicating she was conceived in the middle of 2007, several months after Hunter stopped working for Edwards. John and Elizabeth Edwards renewed their wedding vows in July 2007 to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary.

Hunter's lawyer, Michael Critchley, said the admission is "good for everyone."

Critchley said Edwards' statement amounted to a public acknowledgment of something that was known privately.

He said Hunter did not have an immediate comment. It is not clear where she and the child are living.